The present invention relates to a telecommunications connection panel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a telecommunications cross-connection patch panel with connectors on both sides of the panel.
Local area networks and telecommunications connections often use patch panels, especially at customers premises to enable quick and convenient cross-connection between telecommunications equipment. Twisted pair communications cable is often used to link telecommunications devices to these patch panels, with each cable including four twisted pairs or eight total individual wires.
Front connectors on these patch panels typically have jacks to receive plug-type connectors, such as RJ-45 connectors. Such front connectors allow for easy connection and disconnection between telecommunications equipment electronically connected to the same patch panel or to patch panels located in relatively close proximity to one another. These front connectors are mounted to a circuit board within the panel and accessed through a faceplate of the panel. These connectors are typically mounted so that the outermost surface of the connector is flush with the faceplate and the remainder of the connector and the circuit board is housed within the panel. The circuit boards are mounted to the rear of the faceplate with screws and stand-offs to provide the offset spacing so that the connector is properly positioned relative to the faceplate. Patch panels assembled in this fashion include a high part count, are expensive to manufacture and are difficult to service. Improvements to the mounting and positioning of front connectors in telecommunications patch panels are desirable.
Often, the rear connectors on a patch panel are more permanent types of connectors, such as insulation displacement connectors or wire wrap connectors. These types of connectors are suitable for this type of connection. However, the quality of the electrical connection made with such a connector can vary with the skill level of the person assembling the panel and the environment in which the panel is mounted. Improvement to the rear connectors of telecommunication patch panels is desirable.
The front and rear connectors within a patch panel are paired up, with each front connector being electrically linked to a rear connector. The connectors are often mounted to opposite sides of a circuit board, with circuit traces on the circuit board providing the electronic connection between the paired front and rear connectors. According to industry standards, the wires within each twisted pair cable are color-coded and linked to spring contacts within the connectors in a specified order. The connectors include pins extending from the connectors and electrically linked with the spring contacts to electrically connect the wires in the cables to the circuits on the circuit board. As higher frequencies are used for transmission of electronic information through the circuitry, cross-talk becomes a more substantial problem to the performance of the patch panel. Improvements to current circuit board design to reduce cross talk are desirable.
The present invention relates to a telecommunications module with a circuit board including pairs of connectors mounted on opposing sides of the circuit board, the circuit board held within a housing by structure that holds the circuit board offset from the rear of the module and a connector accessible through an opening in a rear wall of the module. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a telecommunications patch panel including one or more modules mounted to the rear of a faceplate, each module with a circuit board including pairs of electrically linked connectors mounted on opposing sides of the circuit board, the circuit board held within the module by structure that holds the circuit board offset from the front and rear of the module with connectors accessible through a rear wall of the module and through the faceplate.
A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method of assembling a telecommunications module including a circuit board and a structure for mounting the circuit board with the module so that connectors mounted to the circuit board are accessible through an opening in the rear wall of the module. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of assembling a telecommunications patch panel including one or more modules attached to the rear of a faceplate.
The present invention also relates to a circuit board for mounting pairs of telecommunications connectors on opposite sides, the circuit board including circuit paths connecting the mounting locations, each circuit path paired with and laid adjacent to another circuit path and each of the circuit paths positioned on the circuit board without crossing another circuit path. A further aspect of the present invention relates to a circuit board for mounting pairs of telecommunications connectors on opposite sides, the circuit board including circuit paths connecting the mounting locations, each circuit path paired with and positioned adjacent to another circuit path and at least one pair of circuit paths lying on a separate layer of the circuit board from the other pairs.